April 22, 2009

“Everyone loves short tragic lives”
-SUNY Purchase Professor

Recently my art history professor had spit out this quote when teaching a lesson in regards to a feminist artist who was recognized because of her own short tragic life.
In regards to the media (and gossip) enriched society we have all been born and raised in, this quote got me thinking. How often do you hear about people dying? A lot. But how often are you fascinated by their death? Not to get on a morbid path but people love action. People love tragedy. And people love a good story to pass along.
Then this quote also got me thinking in another sense. The artists work (sad, I know, I can’t recall her name) is moreso recognized by the artists death rather than for what it actually is, art. Because the person behind the art died in a tragic way at such a young age it draws viewers attention. So in this sense I got to a more profound ground and realized this — what draws viewers to a work of art A. the art itself or B. the trivia facts behind the art?